01 Orange-Story of Cutlery

The Story of Cutlery The word cutlery is used to describe cooking or eating utensils. Originally it referred only to cutting tools. In the Middle Ages, a cutler was someone who made knives. Today the most common types of cutlery are knives, forks, and spoons. They are usually called silverware but are seldom made from silver anymore. Today most people use silverware made from stainless steel. Although knives and spoons have existed for ages, forks were only introduced about one thousand years ago. They were first used in the Middle East. During the 1300s, they became popular in Italy. The rest of Europe thought that using a fork was an arrogant and pompous act. Religious leaders even said that forks were immoral. They saw them as vulgar and unnecessary. Eventually forks caught on in other European countries. However, people in Great Britain did not use forks until the 1700s. Instead of a fork, they were content to use a second knife—or their hands. The End...